


A Tinge Of Purple

by mil_str



Series: Kingkiller Chronicles AU [1]
Category: Kingkiller Chronicles - Patrick Rothfuss, 방탄소년단 | Bangtan Boys | BTS
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Kingkiller Chronicles, Gen, I can't believe there isn't a BTS au, One Shot Collection, Playing Tak, Short One Shot, The Author Regrets Nothing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-26
Updated: 2020-12-26
Packaged: 2021-03-10 17:27:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,057
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28000917
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mil_str/pseuds/mil_str
Summary: One evening, Jungkook and Namjoon play Tak at the University dorms.
Relationships: Jeon Jungkook & Kim Namjoon | RM
Series: Kingkiller Chronicles AU [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2050845
Comments: 1
Kudos: 3





	A Tinge Of Purple

**Author's Note:**

> Betaed by sweet [Rem](https://archiveofourown.org/users/prometheanAstronaut/pseuds/prometheanAstronaut)

The thing about playing Tak was that, while entertaining, it was at times too complicated to actually have fun. Or at least, that's how Jungkook felt. He understood the rules, what moves or plays he could make and he even knew what things, while allowed, were not of _good taste_. For example, he had learned pretty fast that putting up walls everywhere to block the opponent's path was effective, but wasn't very polite to the other player or to the game itself. As Namjoon liked to say, _what is the point of playing an easy game?_

Perhaps what happened was that Jungkook always played to win. He had heard over and over again that the main reason for playing Tak should not be for glory or victory or to prove yourself a mastermind of strategy and attack. _A beautiful game cannot be accomplished by simply playing to win._ Despite not understanding exactly what that meant, the young E'lir still agreed to play with Namjoon whenever he asked.

“It's your move,” Jungkook urged his senior. Joon had stared at the board for a solid ten minutes, eyes going from stone to stone, pile to pile. 

“I know.” Still, he took a few more minutes before making his move, separating into four one of the highest stacks under his control. Jungkook regarded the board intensely, trying to see where Namjoon would try and catch him off guard, but it wasn’t clear. The other man had one last free spot left before he could complete his path of dark wood tiles, tiles Jungkook himself had made. About a year ago or so, right about the time he got accepted as a member of the Arcanum, he had carved the pieces and board from scratch, as a thank you for all the late night study sessions. Now, Joon was kicking his ass with his own creation. Dammit. 

The Re'lar had learned to play from his uncle, back in Vintas. When he moved to the University dorms, Namjoon searched and searched for someone he could play with, but almost no one had the time, or the interest, to learn how to. Until Jungkook. They had met at _The standardization of hard currency:_ _social, political and economical implications on the rise of the Auturan Empire_ seminar, about three years ago. What’s more, recently, they became friends with another man: a fresh to town musician who spent his days composing music and his nights playing at a few high-tier taberns over at Imre. Seokjin was a fine player, both at music and Tak, and one of the few people that cared to try and understand the actual meaning of the game. 

Neither of them had ever beaten Namjoon, though. Not once. The man had a shine in his eyes every time he played and something seemed to _click_ inside him. He probably saw the board in a completely different light, aware of every piece in a way Jungkook failed to imagine. No other person played like Namjoon, no other person won as much, while still committing to a wonderful game.

No other person, with the exception of the Master Namer, that is.

“I don't see a way around it.” Jungkook said, half in apology, and placed a wall right in front of Namjoon's almost done path.

“Yeah, I guess it was inevitable.” Namjoon agreed. After a little consideration, he stacked together two small towers, displacing the pieces towards the right corner of the board. “Nevertheless, you still have to pay for the next round of ale at the Eolian.”

“Fair enough.”

For the last year, both of them had gotten more and more curious about Naming. Finally, two terms ago they decided, at last, to actually sign up for the class. That's where they met Kim Taehyung. The Master Namer was... eccentric, one could say. He had a certain _quality_ that borderlined on the completely chaotic. To be honest, half the time his classes didn't make much sense to either Jungkook, Namjoon or the rest of the forum. They probably would’ve thought the Master was all words and no game if they hadn’t witnessed him wipe the board with Namjoon, the very first time they played. 

“By the way, have you thought about what Master Taehyung said the other day?” Jungkook asked, scratching his head as if, somehow, that’d help. “I still can't come up with anything close of an answer.”

“ _Kist_ , I'm not even sure I understood the question to begin with.” The Vintish made a face that would’ve been funny to the E’lir if he didn’t feel every bit as lost. Because really, he couldn't blame Joon. Tehlu have mercy, what the hell did Taehyung mean by _“Search within yourself the true meaning of your own name”_ anyways?

“I don't know what to tell you. Naming makes no sense.” Jungkook took his wall and placed it above a single tile next to it. “At least you already know a name!”

“I may be able to say it from time to time, but I have no clue _how._ ” Namjoon made a dismissive hand gesture, briefly taking his eyes from the board to look at Kook in the eyes. “It comes and goes.”

“It’s better than nothing.” Frustration dripped from the E'lir’s words. He was used to being good at everything, but for some reason Naming did not want to cooperate. 

With a sigh they continued their game. It was going well, as far as Jungkook could tell. It was definitely not a complete disaster, like the last time Seokjin and Namjoon had played. The former had immediately started to pile up the stones, barely three moves in. It had been utter chaos, the game not so much a quiet reflection on the self and the other but a freenzi of piling so many pieces so high they soon ran out of tiles but one, and only about five squares were occupied.

Jungkook had seen most of the match, and had definitely seen the end-of-game board, after almost six hours of playing non-stop. He thought, if he had been the one playing that particular match, he wouldn't have made it through _half_ of that. At the end, neither of them won. Joon and Jin stared at the board, stared at each other, got up and left the room without a word. They hadn't played Tak together since.

“I'm getting kind of hungry, Joon.”

The dorms were quiet that time of day, almost everyone already gone for supper. A breeze slid past the half closed windows, colder than when they had first sat down to play, nearly two hours ago. Behind the waving curtains, Jungkook could catch glimpses of oranges, yellows and a tinge of purple spraying the sky. Another day was about to end.

“Oh, okay then” Namjoon didn’t seem to want to leave, though. That changed after hearing Jungkook’s stomach growl. “We can leave it as it is and go eat.” He said, a laughing smile on his face. 

“We'll finish later tonight, if you want” Kook proposed, searching for a middle ground that’d make both of them happy. 

“I'm in.”

Namjoon stood up and stretched his body to get rid of the stiffness from sitting far too long in one single position. Jungkook hesitated for a moment before following suit. His latest wood carving was still inside his pocket. He had been debating whether or not to give it to Namjoon for a few days now, ever since he had finished it. It was a strange feeling, to have second thoughts about a gift to one of his best friends. Jungkook wasn't completely sure what made him anxious about it and that term’s classes and his practices at the Fishery weren’t leaving him with much time to think in depth.

Lately, he’d been dabbling with a different type of timber. _Sycamore_ wood, in particular, was hard but not too hard. Stiff, but malleable enough to allow for a nice, delicate finish. It was a moderately strong wood which, before being cut down for its many uses and applications, provided refuge for animals and crops. _Sycamore_ was an interesting wood, not easily carved, especially for beginners. To Jungkook, however, ever since he started using it for his medium pieces it felt like he understood how to work with it much better than with the other woods. Better than with basswood, even.

_Namjoon was a little bit like_ Sycamore, Jungkook thought all of the sudden. He didn't know exactly why, but lately every time he held a piece of the uncarved timber in his hands trying to bring out the sculpture, the art inside it, he found himself thinking of the Re’lar.

By the time he finished daydreaming, Namjoon was already at the door, holding it open and waiting for Jungkook to join him. The E'lir put all his concerns about the carving on the back of mind, deciding to bring it up some other time. He and his friend left their dorm and made their way to the dorm's dinner. They walked in the easy confidence of two people who didn’t need to fill in the silence but rather chose to enjoy each other’s company, be it with words or not. 

“Regarding Naming…” His friend started, giving him side glances “Kook, don't be too hard on yourself. I know right now it can seem like it's too hard, doesn't make any sense or its plain impossible.” Joon sighed “Believe me, I know how you're feeling. It’s not easy having a problem you can’t seem to figure out how to solve, no matter how badly you want to move past it. It's... frustrating, to say the least.”

Kook wondered about the Re’lar’s own difficulties, what he may be struggling with and wished he could help. Namjoon was rather quiet about his family, his life back at Vintas. He didn’t seem to want to involve either Jungkook or Seokjin in whatever it was that turned him into a ghost whenever he received a letter from home telling him his presence was required. Kook’s heart ached when he saw him like that, a shell of the man he had come to deeply care about. _He’d find a way to help._

“I guess, what I'm trying to say is that forcing things is never good.” Namjoon went on, oblivious of the silent promise Jungkook had made with himself. “You're an amazing Arcanist, Jungkook. Your hard work will be repaid, someday. Don't give up on what you want to accomplish but make time for you, to take care of yourself.” He stopped right before a pair of double doors and turned to look directly at his friend “Love what you do and do what you love.” He smiled, big and bright. Kook’s eyes were immediately drawn to his dimples and a warm feeling of assurance washed over him “Do whatever makes you happy.”

With that, Namjoon entered the dinner. Jungkook stood outside for a moment, weighing in his friend's words.

**_Rezistema_ **

Almost imperceptibly, he felt a tug in his pocket. He took out the small sculpture of an eagle with his wings spread, ready to fly high. The same eagle he had carved and stared at every night for the last couple weeks, under the moonlight. However, Jungkook noticed there was something different. Upon closer inspection, he could have sworn the feathers looked more defined, his peak more prominent. The medium brown color of the wood looked somehow deeper, richer, more full of life than ever before. The young E'lir shook his head. He had probably been spending way too much time at the Stacks going over ancient scripts when he should have been sleeping instead.

Something bugged him, nonetheless. He was sure he had heard some weird _word_ but no one else was around. _Strange._ His stomach growled once more, this time louder. Whatever it was that had happened, it surely could wait after dinner. He opened the double doors and a warm smell of recently baked meat pie and fresh out-of-the oven bread greated him. He smiled and practically hopped over to where his friend was already sitting, at a mostly empty table in the center of the otherwise packed room. The Re’lar had saved a spot for Kook. When Joon spotted him, he made a gesture for the E’lir to sit right next to him. 

**Author's Note:**

> All the members will eventually show up in the one shots, the next one being about a certain musician seeking to win his pipes at the Eolian. 
> 
> No idea when I'll upload it tho.


End file.
